Berlin is the first 28nm-based CPU and APU product from AMD for the Opteron server market and this APU is supposed to replace Opteron 3300 series based on 4 to 8 Piledriver cores. Berlin has four Steamroller cores, but its APU supports HSA and it theoretically should be able to run some parallel computing applications much faster.

AMD demonstrated an AMD Opteron X series APU codenamed Berlin running a Linux environment based on Fedora Project at the Red Hat Summit 2014. Fedora is a Red Hat sponsored community Linux distribution that is widely used as an alternative to more expensive enterprise distributions.

Going parallel on a single die

AMD sees this as a significant step forward “in expanding the footprint of x86 APU accelerated performance within the data centre."

We could not agree more as many server applications will really enjoy the ability to do parallel tasks via HSA much faster than with traditional x86-only server processors. It is bringing the best of both worlds in a single package, as it offers x86 compatibility and parallel GPU computing on a single die.

AMD is unique in being able to offer something like this, especially since Intel’s integrated GPU doesn’t really do parallel computing at this level.

Berlin parts coming later this year

The official launch of Berlin is expected later this year and AMD plans to demonstrate software based OpenCL and OpenGL on Berlin.

The Austin-based chipmaker also demonstrated Project Sumatra that enables Java applications to take advantage of graphics processing units (GPUs) within AMD server APUs. AMD sees a lot of potential for Berlin Opteron X as an ideal platform for server based multimedia workloads and general purpose GPU compute. The X series Opteron should enable new levels of workload efficiency in data centres.

AMD plans to demonstrate the HP Moonshot M700 Cartridge based on the AMD Opteron X-Series X2150 APU, the upcoming second generation AMD Opteron X-Series "Berlin" APU, and the AMD SM15000 servers as well as new partner technologies.

Kaveri A10 and A8, AMD’s first HSA chips, are finally out. We saw Kaveri in action in Vegas and we saw a few things that it can do. It is a 245 square mm chip with 2.41 billion transistors manufactured in GlobalFoundries’ 28nm SHP super high performance processes.

If has new multithreaded Steamroller CPU core that should deliver up to 10 percent more CPU performance over the last generation and it is based on Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture, promising even faster gaming on a budget. The A10 comes with four Steamroller cores and 8 GCN graphics units and AMD calls it a “12 compute unit” APU which is more marketing than reality. However, it’s not all marketing talk – Kaveri has quite a few things going for it.

Kaveri comes with configurable TDP and if you want, you can automatically set that your 95W A10 7850 to work as a 45W part, naturally at lower clocks. Kaveri at 45W can score 1287 in PCMark 8 v2 Work Test, while the Richland based 45W part scores 735. Kaveri scores 75+ percent more, which is impressive.

Two parts are shipping in January, the $173 priced A10 7850K and A10 7700K priced at $152. The kicker is that both parts are shipping with a Battlefield 4 bundle, adding $59.99 of value. This definitely spices up AMD’s new secret sauce.

A10 7850K is a 95W TPD quad-core clocked at 3.7GHz with a maximum Turbo frequency of 4GHz. It has 8 GCN GPU modules (512 GCN cores) clocked at 720MHz while the A10 7700K, another 95W TDP part, has four CPU cores and six GPU units clocked at 720MHz. The 7700K CPU stock clock is 3.4GHz and it can hit 3.7 GHz with Turbo. Both parts are already shipping with the Battlefield 4 bundle.

The A8 7600 a 65/45W TDP part priced at a rather attractive $119, but it will ship later in Q1. This CPU has four possible clocks. As 45W its default clock is 3.1GHz and turbo to 3.3GHz while at 65W it starts at 3.3GHz and it stops at 3.8GHz on Turbo. In both cases the GPU works at 720 MHz and there is no Turbo option for the GPU.

The A10 7850K will run a list of 18 games at 1080p and here is the official list. For casual gamers, this APU sounds like a very good start. Kaveri A10 chips are available in Germany and the UK, priced at close to €152 for A10 7850K and €135 for the A10 7700K.

A couple of new Kaveri slides popped up online thanks to WCCFtech. The slides pitted the flagship Kaveri A10 against Intel’s Core i5-4670K Haswell based processor in several benchmarks.

Unsurprisingly AMD came away with a massive 50 percent lead in Basemark CL and a 40 percent lead in 3D Mark Firestrike. AMD also noted that all A10 chips will feature a Battlefield 4 bundle at launch, although we suspect this will be a limited time offer. At an estimated suggested retail price of $189 for the flagship A10 7850K, it probably won’t make much sense to bundle BF4 with every A10 series chip.

Kaveri also brings unified memory, 32-channel TrueAudio support and R7-branded GCN graphics with Mantle optimizations. The A10 7850K is said to feature a base clock of 3.7GHz and a Turbo clock of 4.0, slightly lower than previous Richland and Trinity A10 parts.

One of the most interesting bits is definitely the GPU, with 512 cores clocked at up to 720MHz. To put things into perspective, discrete Oland XT cards (R7 250) feature 384 cores clocked at 1000MHz. Although this isn’t enough to shoot up the place in BF4, it is impressive nonetheless. For example, the Xbox One features 768 cores and the PS4 has 1152, coupled with eight Jaguar course.

Although it won’t be enough for comfortable 1080p gaming and the latest titles, high-end Kaveri parts should have no trouble delivering smooth performance in older games or in some graphically less demanding genres.

Last week an alleged slide leak purporting to show AMD’s desktop roadmap appeared and it was quickly picked up by most tech sites. Not us of course, since we knew it was rubbish and we’ve got a couple of inboxes littered with similar fakes.

The slide indicated that AMD was about to ditch big-core FX processors, something that has been rumoured for a couple of years. This is not the case. AMD will not pull the plug on FX products in 2015.

AMD Manager of APU/CPU Product Reviews James Prior told Gamers Nexus that the slide was fake and that FX parts aren’t going anywhere. The actual AMD roadmap doesn’t even cover 2015. Prior said it was “rare” to see roadmaps that go more than a year into the future.

That is odd, because we got three such roadmaps over the weekend. One of them is an AMD ARM consumer roadmap 2014-2016. Sounds legit. Perhaps we should publish it just to see how many clickbait loving news editors would fall for it?

Anyway you can submit your fake roadmaps any day of the week, including Sunday. We accept death threats only on weekdays, 9AM to 6PM. Nick Farrell’s astral initiation rituals are available every weekend. Bring your own chicken (BYOC).

Although there were plenty of reports to the contrary, AMD still insists it will launch Kaveri by the end of the year. However, availability is expected in February.

According to Chinese VR-Zone, three parts are going to show up in February. There are no exact specs yet, but the leaked AMD documents points to some new features, including AMD Start Now 3.0, a new, dedicated PCI-e SSD interface, low latency audio processor that might try to capitalize on the TrueAudio hype – although the chips are very unlikely to support TrueAudio.

As always, AMD is promising top notch GPU performance, on par with entry level discrete graphics cards, as the fastest Kaveri is expected to feature a rather impressive 832 stream processors. Kaveri is the first mainstream APU to feature GCN-based graphics, as Jaguar is targeting the low end (core config 128:16:4).

The most interesting leak has nothing to do with specs, it’s the schedule. Engineering samples were ready in August, production ready candidate samples in October and production ready samples should be done by December. Initial production starts in December, while the target launch is February 2014.

AMD really needs to make up its mind and figure out how it interprets its own roadmaps. A few weeks ago the company said desktop Kaveri parts should hit the channel in mid-February 2014. The original plan called for a launch in late 2013, but AMD insists the chip was not delayed.

Now though, it told Computerbase.de that the first desktop chips will indeed appear in late 2013 rather than 2014, while mobile chips will be showcased at CES 2014 and they will launch in late Q1 or early Q2 2014.

As we reported earlier, the first FM2+ boards are already showing up on the market, but at this point it’s hard to say when Kaveri desktop APUs will actually be available. The most logical explanation is that they will be announced sometime in Q4, with retail availability coming some two months later.

Kaveri is a much bigger deal than Richland, which was basically Trinity done right. Kaveri is based on new Steamroller cores, it packs GCN graphics and it’s a 28nm part. It is expected to deliver a significant IPC boost over Piledriver-based chips, but we don’t have any exact numbers to report.

AMD’s Piledriver rollout is all but complete. With Trinity in the mobile and desktop space, new 3300 and 4300 Opterons are bringing the new architecture to data centers.

The Opteron 4300 series offers six different parts, in quad-, six- and eight-core flavours. Stock clocks range between 2.2GHz and 3.5GHz, with TDP’s in the 35W to 95W range. The cheapest Opteron 4334 costs $191, while the priciest 4332HE comes in at $501. The 3300 series consists of three quad- and eight-core SKUs, priced at $125 to $229. The pricing of both series is pretty aggressive.

But what’s next for AMD? Well things should be eerily quiet on the server front in 2013. Abu Dhabi, Seoul and Delhi/Orochi C should last throughout 2013 and even a good part of 2014. That’s when we can expect some major changes, as AMD transitions to 28nm and goes about transforming its Opteron lineup.

Future Low Power CPUs and APUs (as AMD calls them) should replace Dehli/Orochi-C in 1P and dense server markets, but AMD is also planning “Client APUs for market enablement,” and this sounds a lot like ARM-based low voltage parts. Of course, in the high end AMD plans to stick with big Steamroller cores, but mid-2014 is a long way off.

According to the latest AMD desktop roadmap, published by DonanimHaber, the Steamroller architecture could be delayed, which means Piledriver cores will power AMD’s third-generation APUs.

So what does this mean for consumers? Well, Richland APUs might not be quite as good as expected. AMD could optimize the x86 cores and go for more powerful graphics, but it’s hard to get excited about the next generation.

Vishera parts will also stick to Piledriver cores, backed by discreet Radeon 7xxx and 8xxx series graphics. However, we will see a new architecture in the low end. Kabini is apparently on track to launch next year, with Jaguar cores, refreshed graphics and an all new system-on-chip version, with an integrated on-chip Fusion controller hub (FCH).

What’s more, AMD will also offer quad-core Kabini parts, and who could say no to a dirt cheap E-series APU with four cores, good graphics and a ridiculous TDP?

As expected, AMD will stick to existing sockets for its next generation parts, which is something enthusiasts have grown to love over the years.

AMD plans to replace Trinity at some point in 2013. Trinity is a part of the Virgo platform and features up to four Piledriver CPU cores, supports AMD Turbo Core 3.0, DirectX 11 GPU, socket FM2 as well as DDR3 1866.

The third generation Fusion, or the third generation APU, has up to four Steamroller CPU cores, new DirectX 11 GPU, FS2L socket and DDR3 2133 support. This is the highest DDR3 spec we’ve seen to date and even DDR3 1866 for Vishera and Trinity sounded quite nice.

The codename that AMD wants to talk about is wrapped around Kaveri APU. AMD has revealed in its financial roadmap update that Kaveri APU is a 28nm mainstream part, while Kabini essential level APUs replaces Bobcat-based Brazos 2.0 and they both should be manufactured by GlobalFoundries.

The launch is scheduled for 2013, we have nothing better than that at this time.